StressRelief
by Cheeseburger of Doom
Summary: It's years later, Atobe's a pro tennis player (surprise, surprise) and he's actually feeling lonely...which of course, he is not used to. A well-timed arrival by an old almost-friend prompts something that will stick with him forever. [?xAtobe]


A/N: Written purely for the mental image I had that wouldn't go away. I tried for at least a shred of plot, but...well. 

Stress-Relief

Stress, he reflected, was not something that he had to deal with often. Someone with an ego as large as the ego he possessed was not usually bothered by anything that life threw at him. He was too above the world to be intimidated by it...except on very special occasions, like this one.

He was just so _busy_ lately. He had a million things to do, and that left no time for play. There lay the cause of his stress -- all work and no play made Atobe Keigo feel quite deprived. The biggest problem was that he was currently...unattached. Ever since he'd been old enough to know what hormones _were_, he'd been indulging them. There was always _someone._ Except that right now, there wasn't. He'd been too _busy_.

Atobe was not used to sleeping alone. It...well, for lack of a better word, it _sucked._ And not in a good way, either.

Sigh.

No, it wasn't easy being famous, and so gorgeous, and, well, godly. He could have always had a fling with one or two of his random fangirls, but the thought wasn't terribly appealing, since he preferred people with brains in their heads -- and it was also much better if they were male. That was one of his (not-so) well-kept secrets, that only select few (officially) knew about. 

There was really a sad lack of men that he would actually associate with, though, and recently that list had become even smaller. He was running out of options. He was...well, he would never admit to being _lonely_, because Atobe Keigo was never, ever _lonely_, but...

So he was lonely.

Ever since he'd started in professional tennis, it had been like this. There were less and less people that he felt like bothering with. It wasn't even that they were below him; he just didn't feel like bothering with their mindless idiocy. (Wait, that was the same as being below him. Ah, well, that just meant that he still hadn't quelled that ego he'd always been infamous for.)

If only he'd kept in touch with some of his team-mates from junior high, and high school. At least some of _them_ had been worth his time, somewhat. They'd never squealed over him, anyway, and while it was annoying that they'd never bowed and worshipped him, at least they'd been able to carry out a decent conversation with him, once in a while.

He wondered what they were all doing. He wasn't really given to nostalgia, but he was in a bad mood today, so he indulged himself a little. He allowed himself to wallow in misery for a bit, and he was quite startled (almost to the point of being frightened) when he heard a weirdly familiar voice call his name.

"Atobe."

Atobe blinked three times, to try and clear his vision. Obviously he was hallucinating. Old acquaintances just didn't pop out of nowhere while you were thinking of them, did they?

In this case, they did.

"I was just passing through the area, and I heard that you'd be here. I decided to drop by."

"How did you find me?" was the first thing that Atobe thought to ask. As famous as he was, he had to hide away from his fans. His current location was not known to the general public.

"It took some doing, but I've always been good at getting information. It's been a long time, hasn't it?"

Atobe nodded. "You don't look much different, Oshitari." It was true. He was older, and his face had lost what little boyishness it had ever possessed (he'd always looked very mature) and his hair was different (it had been years, after all) but other than that, he was still the same Oshitari Yuushi. Even his glasses were a similar style to years ago. 

"Neither do you. They say people change, but I wonder how much they know?" Oshitari smiled; a smile that Atobe remembered well.

"What are you doing around here?" Atobe asked. "You don't play tennis anymore, do you?"

"Oh, no. I'm here for my holidays," Oshitari replied. "I was finally convinced to take some time off."

"Nagging wife?"

"Something like that. Gakuto has been dying to get out of town for quite a while."

Well, there was a surprise. Those two were _still_ together? They'd never seemed the long-term relationship type...Not that Atobe knew anything about long-term relationships, anyway.

"So, what kind of business are you in?"

"This and that."

"Anything illegal?"

"No, everything is perfectly legitimate. I own a few restaurants, and a hotel, here and there."

"You've been busy."

"Hm, a little."

The conversation was becoming awkward. Atobe really didn't have anything to say to Oshitari. Maybe this was the reason none of them had kept in touch. There was nothing to say to each other anymore; now that they weren't playing tennis anymore, they had absolutely nothing in common. Well, Atobe suspected that Oshitari had an ego to rival his own, hidden behind his smirk -- but that was about all.

"Why don't you join us for dinner this evening?"

Atobe was going to refuse. After all, he'd just been thinking about how awkward this was, and how he had nothing to say to any of his former team-mates anymore. Yet when he opened his mouth, it wasn't to voice a refusal.

"Why not? It could be interesting."

"Gakuto may not seem pleased to see you, but I'm sure it will be entertaining enough for him to meet up with some old colleagues." Oshitari handed Atobe a slip of paper. "Here is the name of our hotel. You can meet us there. We'll go somewhere nice." 

Atobe nodded. Only the most expensive of restaurants would suit his tastes; of course Oshitari remembered that. Atobe was not someone easily forgotten, even after a few years.

"I'll see you later, then."

Either it would be a night to remember, or it would prove just as boring as everything else was, these days. Atobe found himself hoping for the former, but expecting the latter.

~~~~~

Atobe was not surprised to see that Mukahi had not changed very much, either. It was funny that the three of them had all established their personalities at such an early age, and had maintained them for this long. Perhaps they had more in common than he'd thought.

"Atobe. It's been a while."

"Yes." It was rather a relief to see that Mukahi had lost the triangle bangs. His hair was very long, and tied just at the base of his neck. He was quite attractive, but almost paled in comparison to Oshitari.

Atobe didn't know why he hadn't noticed earlier, but Oshitari was really looking _hot_. Maybe it was the all-black ensemble he was sporting now that made the difference...And when he slipped his arm around Mukahi's shoulders, Atobe found himself feeling the tiniest bit jealous...which was ridiculous, since he hadn't seen Oshitari in _years_, didn't know what he was like anymore...and had never harbored any sort of feelings for him in the first place (lust or otherwise). It was only because he'd been so deprived lately, that was all.

"Shall we go?" Oshitari said.

"Yeah, I'm hungry." Mukahi replied. "Where are we going to eat?"

"You'll see."

~~~~~

Oshitari had discovered the most expensive restaurant in town. Atobe was rather impressed.

"So, what have you been doing?" Atobe asked Mukahi. 

"Oh, whatever I feel like. Yuushi is filthy rich so I don't have to work unless I really feel like it," Mukahi replied.

"That's why he stays with me."

"Damn right it is! Although, your company isn't bad."

Oshitari laughed. "You can be so cruel, Gakuto."

"That's why you love me."

The word "love" seemed so foreign to Mukahi's mouth. Atobe was beginning to feel out of place with the couple.

"What have you been up to, Atobe? Besides tennis," Oshitari asked. 

"Not a hell of a lot," Atobe replied, honestly. "I've been busy, lately. No time for fun. Of any sort." Why had he bothered blurting that out? These two were strangers, really. They didn't need to know that sort of thing.

"Ah, poor you. I don't know what I would do if there was no time for fun." Oshitari was looking at Mukahi while he said that, and there was really no mistaking the look in his eye. Once more, Atobe felt jealous. Here was a couple that had stayed together for years...and he, the great Atobe Keigo, had no one.

"You'd still find a way to _make_ time," Mukahi said, snickering. "Since you're the horniest bastard that ever lived."

"Besides you, of course."

That made Mukahi laugh harder.

They may have been older, but it seemed that they were still just hormonal teenagers at heart. It was becoming a little more comfortable to be around them; even though the topic of conversation was a bit...strange, it was just so _them,_ the them that he remembered, that it made Atobe feel more at ease.

After that, it was easier to talk to them, and catch up on various things. Not that there was much to catch up on, really; it turned out that he needn't have worried about them being strangers. They were the same as he remembered for the most part, with only vague differences that didn't really matter.

However, later on in the evening, after a few drinks, Atobe started to feel a little uncomfortable again. It began with a simple gesture by Oshitari. He draped an arm around Mukahi's shoulders, as he had done earlier in the evening, and suggested that they all go to a movie, to round off the evening. 

This time, when Oshitari's arm went around Mukahi's shoulder, Atobe was not jealous; he was turned on. Quite badly, in fact.

Oh, how he _longed_ for...

Oshitari caught the way that Atobe was looking at him before Atobe had time to compose himself.

"Is the drink going to your head, Keigo?"

There were too many ways that could be interpreted. Atobe...snickered.

"I don't think it's the drink," he replied.

A knowing smile curved on Oshitari's lips. "It's not your fault, since you haven't had time for fun, lately. I have a better idea than going to a movie."

"Yuushi! You haven't asked my permission first," Mukahi said.

"Ah, sorry, Gakuto. Would you mind?"

"Not really. It might be fun, for a change."

"So. How would you like to join us in our room, this evening?"

Atobe blinked at them. They'd just met up after how many years, spent one evening together, and now he was being invited to do something rather kinky with them...?

Oh, but it sounded _so_ intriguing...

"I wouldn't mind," he found himself saying.

~~~~~

Heat. Panting. Hands, everywhere; so many sets of hands on his skin...Oh, he wasn't used to this, but he could certainly _get_ used to it. Too bad that tonight was his only chance.

There were lips on his neck, and there was a tongue licking his stomach. It was too much, but it wasn't enough. He wanted more. He wanted this to continue forever.

Lips, closing around him, just where he wanted it. This sucked too, but not in the bad way. Oh no -- it was _too good_, and he wanted it to continue until he couldn't take it anymore...if that could ever possibly happen.

He suddenly felt too cold. There were no more touches. He opened his eyes, and watched the two lovers as they took care of each other. Watched them hungrily. Moved over to them, and took his place once again.

Someone chuckled, and commented on his impatience. That made him laugh. Of _course_ he was impatient, this was something he'd never even _dreamed _of, and he could be pretty creative at times. He wanted _more,_ and he wanted it _now._

They obliged. He reached a place higher than he'd never been before, and he knew that they were there, too.

When it was over, they lay tangled in the sheets and tangled with each other, and silence filled the room.

Atobe drifted off to sleep with a huge smirk on his face.

That had been the best stress-reliever...well, ever.

~~~~~

In the morning, it all seemed like a really bad idea. It was almost _embarrassing_ to be in the middle of the two lovers, with one clinging to either side of him. It was warm, and it felt so nice to have someone with him when he opened his eyes, but...What was he going to say? Thanks for everything, bye now?

That was what it was all going to come down to, after all. But how was he ever going to be satisfied with anything after last night?

Maybe he shouldn't have agreed to it, but...Well, could he really regret something that had been so...?

"Mm, good morning."

Oshitari caressed Atobe's cheek. "Are you feeling better?" 

"Much," Atobe replied, unable to hold back his smirk. Oh yes, he was feeling _so_ much better, even if he was having doubts about the whole affair. "But..."

"But?"

"Well..." Atobe was usually very good with expressing himself, but in this case, it was a bit awkward.

"Are you worried about what happened? Don't be. We all enjoyed ourselves," Oshitari said. "No need to be ashamed."

Atobe sighed. No, there was no need to be ashamed, but pretty soon Oshitari and Mukahi would be going back home, and there would be no more fun for him...well, forever. Not after that. Nothing could satisfy him after that.

"I enjoyed myself too much," he admitted. 

"Oh, is that what's wrong?" Oshitari made a hmming noise. "Well, you know it wouldn't last if we tried to make it forever."

"I know that."

"Although, it is an interesting prospect."

Atobe snorted. "Only you would say something like that."

"Only _you_ would have put the thought into my head."

"Ah, shut up, both of you," Mukahi mumbled. "I want to sleep more. Contemplate the meaning of life in the real morning, damn it."

Oshitari chuckled at his partner's antics. "Gakuto is right. Go back to sleep, Keigo."

An arm snaked around Atobe's waist.

"Things are always better after a long sleep."

Well, maybe that was true. Maybe the answers would be more clear in a few hours, after more rest. And maybe...maybe it was just a good excuse to stay in his paradise just a little longer. A place where stress just couldn't _touch _him. In the arms of two men who actually had brains, and could carry on a decent conversation...as well as other things.

He never wanted to leave. Ever.

~~~~~


End file.
